Ekas Bay in March is the upgrade month — Inside reliable, Outside occasionally working, prices still low. Best month for intermediates progressing to bigger waves.
Ekas Bay in March is the wet-to-dry transition. Inside Ekas continues to work most days, Outside Ekas and Playgrounds start producing occasional sessions as early SW swells appear. Bau Nyale festival sometimes falls in early March. Camps remain at low-season pricing through most of the month, easing toward shoulder rates by the end.
# Ekas Bay in March: The Upgrade Month
March at Ekas Bay is the slow turn from wet to dry. Rainfall drops from February's 280mm to 220mm. The first SW swells of the year start arriving with enough size to wake up Outside Ekas. Inside Ekas continues to work as reliably as it has all year. And camp pricing remains at low-season rates through most of the month.
For intermediate surfers wanting to progress from Inside Ekas waves to bigger Outside Ekas sessions in uncrowded conditions, March is the smart window.
Early March still feels like wet season. Storms build daily, runoff reduces snorkelling visibility, the Sekotong/Mataram road still has wet sections.
Mid March is the inflection point. Rainfall drops noticeably. The first decent SW swells of the year — 5-7ft pulses — arrive every 7-10 days. Outside Ekas starts producing rideable sessions on these pulses.
Late March feels almost shoulder-season. Inside Ekas at 3-5ft most days. Outside Ekas firing on the bigger swells. Playgrounds occasionally working. First foreign surf travellers arriving for early-season recon.
Bau Nyale festival sometimes falls in early March (it depends on the lunar calendar — late February or early March each year). If it's in your March, the same logic applies as February: stay at Ekas (cheaper, quieter), travel to Kuta for the festival night via camp transport. Avoid the Kuta accommodation price surge during festival week.
If Bau Nyale falls in February in your year, March is the post-festival quiet — camps relaxed, line-ups manageable, no major events on the calendar.
Inside Ekas continues to work daily through March. Typical sessions:
The wave's reliability is exactly the same as January-February. The improvement is in the surrounding context — more days have offshore wind, more weeks have multiple consecutive surfable days, and the visiting crowd starts including more experienced surfers.
The first reliable Outside Ekas sessions of the year happen in March. They cluster around SW swell pulses — when you see a 6-8ft pulse on the forecast, expect Outside to break for 2-3 days.
Outside Ekas conditions in March:
For intermediates ready to step up from Inside Ekas, March Outside sessions are the gentlest introduction. Crowds are minimal. Locals are patient. The wave is the same Outside Ekas that gets crowded in July, just with fewer surfers.
Playgrounds has multiple peaks across a wider zone. Some peaks work in smaller swell, others need the bigger pulses. March produces occasional Playgrounds days but consistency is still low. Most March surfers ignore Playgrounds and focus on Inside or Outside.
All Ekas camps continue operating through March. Pricing remains at low-season rates through most of the month — typically 30-50% off peak — easing toward shoulder pricing by the last week.
The camp scene is slightly busier than January-February as early-season surf travellers arrive. Conversations include more swell-forecast discussion. Surf schools see slight bumps in bookings.
Cliff-top ocean-view rooms are still bookable on 1-2 weeks notice. Family-friendly camps continue catering to mixed-traveller groups.
Continues through March on the same pattern. Useful for restaurant variety, supplies, and any errands. 75 minutes each way.
Inside Ekas: 5-15 surfers on a typical day, occasionally up to 20 on the busier mid-month weeks.
Outside Ekas (when working): 5-15 surfers, predominantly camp-based.
Playgrounds: Usually empty or 1-2 surfers when working.
Total Ekas Bay surfer count remains very low compared to peak. This is the smart-money window for intermediate surfers wanting Outside Ekas without competition.
If you'll surf Inside only: 5'8"-6'2" handles all March Inside conditions.
If you might surf Outside: bring a step-up at minimum 6'2", ideally 6'4". Outside Ekas can produce serious size on the bigger pulses and an under-gunned board catches the inside boil.
Reef-safe sunscreen, light rain shell, bug repellent, power bank.
1-2 weeks ahead is sufficient for any room through most of March. The last week of the month sees slightly tighter availability as early-season surf travellers arrive, but last-minute bookings still work for most camps.
If Bau Nyale falls in early March in your year, that week sees slight booking pressure. Book 3-4 weeks ahead if you specifically want a popular camp during festival week.
For each, the answer is wait for May or June.
April is the real shoulder season — wet season effectively ended, swells building, Outside and Playgrounds increasingly working. May locks in dry season. July-September is full peak with all three breaks firing.
March is the smart upgrade month for intermediates. Inside reliable, Outside emerging, prices still low.
March is the upgrade month at Ekas. Inside still works for beginner-intermediate but the first occasional Outside Ekas sessions of the year start appearing — usually after a multi-day SW pulse. If you're an intermediate surfer wanting to progress to bigger waves, March is the right month to be at Ekas with a step-up board ready. Most days you'll surf Inside; on the rare big-swell day you can try Outside in less crowded conditions than peak season would offer.